Recent updates to Ala Moana Center and the International Market Place mean there are now more places to shop — and grab a drink — in Honolulu.
Don’t underestimate the appeal of a shopping center watering hole. These are great places to duck into when you’ve been on your feet for a while and need to cool off with a quick pick-me-up.
Here’s a look at two new options in Waikiki, plus a couple of ideas for shoppers heading to Ala Moana Center.
International Market Place
The brand-new Waikiki shopping destination opened its doors late last month and both visitors and locals wasted no time checking out what stores like Christian Louboutin, Fabletics, Michael Kors and Saks Fifth Avenue had to offer. A number of dining options are also planned, but only two have opened so far.
Eating House 1849 by Roy Yamaguchi is impossible to miss as you exit the International Market Place parking elevators on the dining level. The open-air layout allows for people-watching if you’re seated on the Ewa side of the room, while a square bar offers another 20 bar stools for those who don’t want to wait for a table.
Craft beer fans will be happy to see multiple Big Island Brewhaus options on tap, while wine drinkers can sample Yamaguchi’s private label prosecco, chardonnay and pinot noir. Half a dozen craft cocktails are on the menu, including the Hawaiian Martini made with Vanilla Stoli vodka and Bacardi Coconut rum that is infused with fresh Maui Gold pineapple and left to soak for up to five days. The result is a deceptively smooth-sipping drink that’s worth the $13 price tag.
Just around the corner from Eating House 1849 is Stripsteak, one of nearly 30 restaurants around the United States owned by Michelin-starred chef Michael Mina. His take on a modern steakhouse includes a robust beverage program helmed by Raymundo Delgado, who arrived in Waikiki last month after working at one of Mina’s restaurants in San Francisco. The whiskey and Scotch list here is lengthy enough to keep you occupied for a while, but don’t neglect the rest of the cocktail menu.
Classics like a daiquiri, negroni and old fashioned are executed perfectly, and Delgado is also turning heads with his Black Tai, a modified version of the mai tai that really does come out black thanks to a small amount of charcoal added to the drink; black sesame orgeat syrup also gives it a more nutty flavor that makes it even more interesting. Another early favorite is the Shaka Sour ($14), which uses yuzu and mangosteen as its citrus component and is served with a shaka silhouette spritzed onto its top.
Ala Moana Center
Grabbing a drink at Ala Moana Center is nothing new, especially for the younger crowd that flocks to the Mai Tai Bar for its live entertainment offerings and late night happy hour. A number of restaurants also provide ample beverage options in a traditional dining environment, and now the new Ewa Wing offers two new affordable choices in Shirokiya’s Japan Village Walk and The Bar by R. Field at Foodland Farms.
The Bar at Foodland Farms is a dream come true for people who like to grocery shop on an empty stomach. A visit last week found 15 different types of wine with 2-ounce pours on sale starting at $3. Six taps mean customers can also order local brews from Kona Brewing Co. and Maui Brewing Co., plus the wildly popular Ace Pineapple hard cider. If you’re hungry, R. Field sells a few different types of cheese platters, but you can also pick something up from elsewhere in the store to eat at the bar — and pay for it there, too!
Budget drinkers, on the other hand, will definitely want to check out Shirokiya Japan Village Walk now that the grand-opening rush appears to have settled down. Some people have complained that food prices here are too high, but thankfully the management has decided to continue offering beers starting at just $1 per glass.
What I like is that you can have a glass of Bud Light ($1), Kirin Ichiban ($2), Miller Lite ($2) or Sapporo ($3) if you’re pinching pennies, but there are a few premium picks like Kona Brewing’s Big Wave Golden Ale ($4) and Asahi ($4) available for just a few bucks more. Drinking with friends? Japan Village Walk also serves pitchers and beer towers at very reasonable prices.
Jason Genegabus tracks the local bar and drink scenes in “Barfly” every Friday in TGIF; read his blog at inthemix.staradvertiserblogs.com.
